Author Topic: 23 mths awake in night for hrs - strange behaviour!  (Read 706 times)

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Offline LucyJT

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23 mths awake in night for hrs - strange behaviour!
« on: March 15, 2009, 13:26:11 pm »
Hi,

I'm not a regular poster but do look to these boards for advice and guidance so wondered if anyone could help......

My son is 23mths and is regularly awake for between 1 and 3 hrs each night.  When he first wakes in the night, he'll get out of bed, open his sister's bedroom door and then push our bedroom open a little.  He then lies down on the landing outside either our room or his sister's and tries to sleep.  This lasts about 10mins before he starts chatting to himself, singing etc.
What's weird is that he doesn't cry (unless ill or lost his dummy), he doesn't ask for Mummy or Daddy and would quite happily stay there if we didn't put him back to bed.  He also does not get his toys or books out despite having access to them so his 'playing' in the night is solely imaginary play.  He doesn't even play with the numerous teddies in his bed!

What we have tried:
We put him back to bed with minimal fuss/conversation -  he'll stay there for a bit then get up again.
We've tried shutting his door - he then bangs on it until we let him out.
We've tried cutting his daytime nap - he throws huge tantrums because he's overtired.
We've been prescribed Phenergan from the doctor for a limited time (we're so sleep deprived after 23mths of having a poor sleeper this was a last resort).  The Phenergan works until 5.45am then he's up for the day.

Can anyone shed any light on why he's doing this or what we might do to sort things out?????

Thanks,
Lucy

Offline Sarah - Enfys' Mum

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Re: 23 mths awake in night for hrs - strange behaviour!
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2009, 21:55:09 pm »
What is his daily routine - wake up, nap time & length, bedtime?  How does he fall asleep - do you have to be there with him or does he fall asleep on his own?  How long has he been in his BBB?





Offline LucyJT

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Re: 23 mths awake in night for hrs - strange behaviour!
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2009, 22:09:39 pm »
We always get up at 7am as that's when Daddy gets up for work (unless the children are still asleep but that's normally only when they are ill).  Daniel can have been awake for ages before this but we don't officially 'get up' i.e. curtains open, nappy change etc. until 7.

Lunch at midday followed by nap c. 12.30pm.  This has been up to 2.5hrs but have limited it to 1.5hrs now.  1hr was too short and led to evil tantrums and violence.  However, I'm sure if he weren't awake in the night, he either wouldn't need a nap or would only need a short one.

Tea is 4.45pm (was 5pm but his younger sister can't last that long)
Upstairs at 6pm and in bath with his sister at 6.20pm.  She goes to bed first at 6.45pm.
After she's in bed, we tidy all toys etc. away then he gets into bed for a story.  He's been in a BBB for 6mths but the issues only started this in the last 3 mths.

I then leave him to fall asleep on his own (with dummy).  I normally have to go back once or twice but only briefly to tell him he needs to go to sleep.  He rarely loses the dummy but can't settle without it.

Lucy

Offline Sarah - Enfys' Mum

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Re: 23 mths awake in night for hrs - strange behaviour!
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2009, 21:14:07 pm »
Have you tried a stair gate across his bedroom door? 
I know my dd wakes up in the night sometimes, but I leave her to it.  Do you think if he had just a gate he would be alright? 
Your routine looks alright to me.